The Bet
by theboyfriend-and-theprettygirl
Summary: It all started with a silly bet. He said she scared off guys because she was "too full on" and that's why she was always single. She said he was a bitter old man that had stopped believing in love. Whoever got more numbers at the end of the night would win and Mindy will do everything possible to prove that Danny Castellano was NOT always right. But what else will the bet reveal?
1. The Bet

**Chapter One: The bet.**

It had all started as a silly bet.

Danny Costellano was too competitive to lose and she hated to always see him win. She was also extremely stubborn by nature, so that didn't help much either.

They were in their break room one Friday afternoon, having their typical fight that they always started every day at work. He was telling her to _stop_ watching romantic comedies because 'she was turning into a brainless bimbo with unrealistic expectations on men and love'; and she was telling him that 'he was a bitter, old loser who had given up on living because without love what was the point?'

Lately their fights at work had seemed to become more and more heated. Her telling him to 'bite her' was not a sufficient insult any more Danny's smart arse snarks had improved and no matter how hard she tried to not let him get under her skin; he always seemed to find a way to do it…pretty effortlessly, she might add. It drove her _so_ insane!

So this Friday was not that much different to any other fight that they usually had at Shulman & Associates. Jeremy had come into the break room in an attempt to calm them down. What would then follow was a lecture on how _some _of them were trying to work and did not need to hear their 'immature lover's spat'- as he called it- throughout the whole office. Danny would then attack Jeremy for being in the_"_mood" for work, because everybody knew Jeremy was the KING OF PROCRASTINATION and whenever he was not flirting with a married patient who was ready to pop, he was sexting his latest girl he had met at some night club the night before.

"Guys, lets settle this in a_ professional_ manner." Jeremy said stepping in between Danny and Mindy, who were yelling at each other near the kitchen sink. "Mindy, dear, put down the knife." He said gently, trying to pull it out of her hands.

"Ugh, I wasn't going to stab him." She said rolling her eyes. "Trust me; if I wanted to stab him…I would have done it already."

Jeremy looked at Danny for some kind of reaffirmation of this and he nodded at his friend quickly. Mindy drove Danny insane every day, but he knew that she was not _psychotic._

Mindy sighed heavily. _This is what she had to deal with five days a week! Immature idiots that sided against her because she was a girl and they were men?_

Sometimes Danny and Jeremy's bromance was borderline gay and she wondered if there was something that they were not telling her.

"So, what are we fighting about_ this_ time?" Jeremy asked pulling out a chair to take a seat.

He knew that he was going to be here for a while; he had gotten used to their fights staying as dragged out and unresolved for as long as possible. He was definitely going to need a seat today, because judging by their louder than normal voices and the looks that they were shooting at each other; this fight was not bad…it was catastrophic.

"Danny thinks I _scare_ guys off and that's why I'm_ single_." Mindy said glaring at Danny, who just rolled his eyes.

"That's not what I said!" Danny hit back quickly defending himself. "You're taking my words out of context."

"Oh yeah, Danny? Tell Jeremy what you said then, genius."

"I said that sometimes you can be a little _too full on _with your boyfriends and that causes them to panic- because hey, guys don't want love declarations and wedding planning in the _first week_ of dating…which would explain why you have trouble _keeping _a long-term relationship."

Jeremy winced. Danny had really dug himself a grave there and this was going to be a longer fight than he had originally expected. _Maybe he should cancel his coffee date with that girl he had met last night?_

"That's pretty much the same thing, Danny!" Mindy said crossing her hands over her chest.

"It's not."

"I was paraphrasing what you said…the meaning is still the same."

"No, it's not."

"Guys," Jeremy cut in, he always hated playing the mediator, but nobody seemed to do it anymore since Shauna had left the practice. "Could we maybe-"

"Back off Reed, I am not going to let this one slide." Mindy said threatening him with a pointed index finger. "You always make me cave and I won't this time. Not until _he _apologies." She said pointing her finger towards a very smug Danny.

"Danny, what you said was a bit _harsh_…" Jeremy said trying to encourage his friend to just apologize already.

"If it's harsh, it's only because it's _true_."

"AHA! The truth finally comes out! You do mean that I scare off guys."

"Well you don't exactly have the best track record to deny it, do you?"

Mindy was going to literally slap him. Who gave him the right to poke fun of her love life? At least she put herself out there! At least she believed in love and was not a horrible combination of scrooge and the Grinch that stole Christmas!

"Bite me, Danny." She said hotly, trying to walk past him. "I don't have time for this."

She wanted an apology and it was killing her to have to cave first again; but she was on the verge of actually picking up the knife and using it this time. And she did not want to go to jail for the rest of her life for murdering Danny Castellano, no matter how _tempting _that was…

"Bite you?" Danny mocked shaking his head in disbelief. "Is that the best you've got, Lahiri?" he called out behind her.

_Walk away, Mindy. _

_Do not give him the satisfaction!_

"You know what's funny, Danny?" Mindy said reappearing at the entrance to the break room door. "It's funny how you act like you don't believe in love and marriage any more just because you failed at your first marriage…but I see the way you look at your patients that come in with their husbands and children. You want everything I want; just as badly, but you won't admit it; and that my friend makes you a sad person, because instead of going after what you want, you deliberately chose to be grumpy and miserable indefinitely!"

"You think you can read me like a book, don't you?" Danny asked walking up to her, closing the distance between them. "But let me tell you something Mindy, if you spent a little more time on bettering yourself and maybe focussing on your _own_ love life…" he said leaning in to whisper something to her "…maybe you wouldn't _scare _off guys and you would not be _single_."

Mindy raised her hand to slap him, but he caught it before she could even try.

"Guys come on." Jeremy said standing up and walking towards them. "Must we be so _childish?"_

"Don't you have a coffee date with random girl number 643?" Danny asked, without taking his eyes off Mindy.

"I had to _cancel_ it." he said sighing heavily. "I didn't know how long, _this_ would go for." he said waving his hands at the two of them. "Look, this fighting is not getting you guys anywhere and its extremely annoying, not to mention disrupting…makes me wonder if Shauna quit because of your constant bickering twenty-four seven!"

Mindy rolled her eyes. "Shauna _moved_ to Staten Island with her cop boyfriend and could not be bothered coming to work by boat every day."

"Ferry." Danny said correcting her quickly.

"Have you even been on a ferry, weirdo? _It's practically a boat._ A boat that practically holds _cattle_, because everyone is so jammed packed like farm animals trying to get into New York City!"

"Enough you two!" Jeremy said throwing his hands up in the air. "Time out. I might not be the most practical partner in this partnership and right now, I clearly sound like the biggest hypocrite but, I think we should all be getting back to work. Don't you agree?"

"Sounds perfect." Danny said walking past Mindy to exit the break room.

"Fine by me!" Mindy called out, walking into her office and slamming the door shut loudly behind her.

For once in his life, Jeremy had actually wished that Shauna still worked at the office and could instead be playing his new found role as office mediator.

xoxo

"What is it _now_ Danny?" Mindy growled as he stepped into her office. "Your presence is seriously annoying me. I have literally had enough of you today, that I 'm actually considering taking all of next week off work."

"Please do, just the thought of the office _without you_…gives me so much _pleasure_." he said leaning against her door frame.

"Don't tempt me, I might actually do it and you will spend the whole week _missing _me."

"That's not possible." He said grunting a little and crossing his hands over his chest.

"Is there something that you need? Why are you here?" Mindy asked, opening a file that was on her desk and pretending to read it.

"Interesting chart?"

"I'm working, Castellano." She sang out. She was trying her best to be positive because her patience was very thin. "I think you should do the same, don't you?"

"You can stop pretending to be working now. You're not fooling anyone."

"I happen to be working, unlike you." she said holding up her chart to show him.

"That's funny, because I happen to know that the chart you are so invested in… is _upside_ down." he said before walking out of her office and leaving her alone to her angry thoughts of him.

xoxo

"Morgan, Betsy have you guys seen my yoghurt that I left in the fridge?" Mindy asked leaning over the admin and nurses' station.

"No, sorry Dr Lahiri." Betsy said shaking her head. "Maybe you ate it already."

"No, I didn't eat it already." Mindy snapped angrily.

_Seriously, Betsy could say some really dumb things sometimes! _Mindy thought a little irritated. It was at times like this that Mindy really missed Shauna.

"Why do we have a _thief _in the office?" Morgan asked suspiciously. "It wasn't me. I can't afford to cross the law anymore or I end up behind the slammer again."

Mindy laughed. "I doubt stealing yoghurt would send you to jail again Morgan; but good on you for keeping things in perspective…stealing is always bad."

"Don't worry, Dr L. We will find this yoghurt thief." He said patting her on the arm quickly.

Mindy groaned loudly. "I think I know who it is." She said before storming off towards Danny's office.

"Hey loser," she said furiously as she walked up to him. "That's my yoghurt! Get your own."

Danny was stretched out in his reclining chair, his feet on his table, enjoying the scene in front of him.

"Ninety-nine perfect _fat free_?" he said pretending to read the label on it. "_Yuck_, no wonder this thing tasted so _bad!"_

Mindy hit his leg hard. "Don't _act_ like you didn't know you were eating my yoghurt. I've literally never seen you eat yoghurt in your life."

"Honest mistake." Danny said shrugging his shoulders, "Besides aren't you more of an _ice-cream_ girl, anyways?" he asked smirking a little. "I have never seen you eat anything this _healthy."_

"Give me back my yoghurt you annoying, _stealing_… freak!"

xoxo

"Did you find out who stole your yoghurt, Dr L?" Morgan asked when Mindy stormed back towards her office in a foul mood.

"_Costellamo _did." Mindy said using the phrase she used to call Danny whenever she was pissed off beyond what she could bare.

"Should I call the police? Or write a warning on his file?" Morgan asked shaking his head in disgust.

"No, to the police and Morgan, for the _last _time, you don't have the _authority _to write on anyone's file…especially the partners here. Is that understood?"

Morgan nodded disappointedly.

xoxo

Mindy was annoyed.

_Well annoyed was the understatement of the year._ She thought to herself as she lay down on the floor to her office.

The clock hanging on her office wall showed that she still had about three hours before her weekend could officially begin. The weekend was always her favourite part of the week. _It meant that she was Danny Costellamo free for two whole, peaceful days._ She just needed to get through these last three excruciating hours.

"Do you have my patient, Mrs Saunder's chart?" Danny asked walking into her office and nearly stepping on her deliberately.

_Don't let him break you!_

"Why would I have it?" Mindy asked irritably, closing her eyes and counting to ten.

"I don't know, maybe you stole it when I went to the bathroom as payback for eating your disgusting yoghurt." He said starting to sort through the paperwork on her desk.

"That's childish and lame, Danny. Almost like eating _someone else's_ yoghurt just to piss them off."

"Still mad about that, huh?"

"No, I'm not mad that you ate my yoghurt, you loser! I'm mad that you think I scare guys off."

"But you kind of do."

Mindy groaned. She wasn't in the mood for another fight. _Couldn't he just leave her alone for the next three hours? _

"Get out of my office." She hissed, picking herself off the ground and heading around to her desk.

"Look Mindy, you're a _relatively _attractive girl..."

"Relatively attractive? Are you trying to insult me?"

"No, I was trying to give you a compliment without puffing up that big head of yours." Dan snapped quickly.

"Oh the irony!" Mindy sang out as she snatched some paperwork out of Danny's hands.

"What?"

"Well Danny, it's ironic that you think that I have a big head when no one thinks more highly of himself than Danny Castellano!"

"I don't think highly of myself." He snapped quickly.

"Yes, you do!" she said rolling her eyes. "Eye-patch dumped you because you are such an opinionated jerk, that doesn't listen to anyone else because you are always right! Does that sound familiar?"

"Most of the times I am right, though." He said shrugging his shoulders.

"I can't believe we are having this same fight for the billionth time! I don't have your stupid file, so can you please go? I have work to do."

"I can see how much work you have, won't you just lying on the floor before, doing absolutely _nothing?"_

"You get so much satisfaction out of our fights, don't you?"

"Yeah, I kind of do." Danny said smirking at her.

"I guess it's cause you secretly love me."

"What?"

"You're always taking lunch the same time that I take it, you follow me around the office like a rash…you pick fights with me about every single thing_…._you eat my yoghurt to get a reaction from me, do I need to keep going?"

"Lunch…" Danny said clearly his throat loudly. "Lunch is usually between 12-2. Some days I'm hungrier than most and therefore I eat when I need to. Other days I have to see patients, so I eat when my schedule is free. Trust me, I'm not _purposely _trying to have lunch with you every day, it just_ happens_ that way."

"Whatever." Mindy said rolling her eyes.

"Also, I don't follow you around the office…_you _follow me."

_"WHAT?"_

"Let me finish," Danny said holding up a hand in the arm, to cut her off. "Our fights are usually because you are so unreasonable! I'm actually surprised you got into medical school, let alone became a Doctor when I all I hear come out of your mouth is 'those twilight kids are so lucky…in a period of four years, they have made more money than I have working as a Doctor from their movies.' The yoghurt was an honest mistake; I honestly thought it was mine. There's yoghurt in the fridge, it's _not _ninety-nine percent fat free, but you are welcome to have it; if you don't mind the _extra calories_."

"Ugh, you are such a _pig."_ Mindy said pushing him out of her office.

xoxo

"I've called this meeting," Jeremy said when Mindy and Danny had taken a seat in his office. "because a lot of the staff here, who are also your friends I might add,are worried that you two are creating a _hostile_ working environment."

Danny snorted some kind of laugh and Mindy rolled her eyes.

"I don't think hostile is the right word, Jeremy. We are not abusive towards each other, right Mindy?"

"You're verballyabusive towards me, Danny." Mindy said innocently, pretending to be hurt.

Danny rolled his eyes. "Really? How old are you?"

"Hmmm. I don't know. Take a guess Danny," Mindy said sarcastically. "But I'll tell you one thing…I'm young enough to be your daughter-"

"-For the millionth time," he said cutting her off quickly, "we are born in the same decade! I'm not even five years older than you! But five years is a bit of a stretch, so I guess I shouldn't be surprised by your immaturity-"

"My immaturity? You're five years older than me and so much _more_ immature!" Mindy snapped back quickly.

"Enough!" Betsy shrieked. "Please stop fighting!"

Mindy and Danny turned quickly to see Beverly, Morgan and Betsy standing at the back of the office.

"What's going on here?" Danny asked, a little confused as to why the other three were also sitting in on this meeting.

"This is _not_ a partner's meeting," Jeremy said crossing his hands together on his desk, "I called this meeting because the four of us are concerned." He said gesturing towards the three waiting at the back. "This is a meeting with all your friends that care about you."

"It kind of feels like an intervention." Danny mumbled, shifting in his chair.

"Why Danny, have you had interventions before?" Mindy teased.

"Guys enough, please. Now this is a kind of like intervention_._" Jeremy said nodding. "I am far too young to be _stressing _about this kind of stuff…do you know how many _wrinkles_ form on your face as a result of stress-induced thoughts and burdens? I am the _face _of Shulman and Associates! If _this_ face goes, you can say _goodbye _to our taxi cab ads and _most_ of our female patients!"

"Don't worry, we will still always have Mindy's minute, right Dr Lahiri?" Danny asked nudging her playfully.

"I'm sorry but Jeremy is right, he is the face of this company and I am clearly the celebrity…so what do you _do_ exactly?" Mindy asked hitting back.

"I do the work."

Mindy snorted loudly.

"I do the work," Danny continued nodding his head up and down. "When you two slackers are too busy texting hook-ups and lying on the floor_- _like you're still in kindy-garden by the way- I do the work around here that is needed. I'm carrying this office on my bare back."

"So manly of you." Mindy said rolling her eyes.

"Look, regardless of who does the most work, the four of us think that the fights have to stop." Jeremy said, gesturing towards the three other employees at the back, who were all nodding in agreement.

"The fighting will stop when Danny _apologizes_ for being an arrogant jerk."

"Funny how it's always my fault every time we have a disagreement." Danny said rolling his eyes.

"Well Danny it is, when you are such a _disagreeable_ person to deal with." Mindy said hitting back quickly.

"I wouldn't be so disagreeable if some people did not drive me mental twenty-four seven."

"Oh stop with your bickering!" Beverly snapped angrily. "I don't care that you two fight all the time; I care about my own health! I am old. I'm an old woman that does not need to hear people at each other's throats all day long…if I wanted to hear people fight, I'd still be seeing my grandkids! Now it's obvious to everyone in this office that you guys fight because you are in love with each other, so please spare us the drama at work and just get together already!"

"I'm sorry?" Mindy asked loudly when Beverly had finished. "We are not in love with each other."

"I don't know where you got that notion from, but-" Danny said, loosening his tie a little to clear his throat.

"Daisy…handsome…" Beverly said gesturing towards the other two standing next to her. "…help me out."

"It's Betsy!" she hissed a little annoyed. "Betsy! Not Daisy! How many times do I have to tell you that?"

"Oh big deal, I'm an old woman suffering from dementia. I only call you Daisy, because your name sounds like something that they name _cows _and I get confused."

"I like that she calls me handsome." Morgan said smiling smugly. "You can keep doing that."

"Can we go now?" Danny asked, holding up a hand in the air.

"No. As somebody that has been to her fair share interventions before, I think we should be addressing the issues before us." Beverly said.

"Good idea, Bev." Jeremy said nodding in agreement. "What are they again?"

"That these two are in love with each other! Keep up pretty boy! And I'm the one with _dementia_. I swear, if you weren't so hunky…"

Jeremy grimaced a little in disgust.

"Beverly, I don't know how to tell you this any differently." Mindy said sighing heavily. "But I am not in love with Danny. Sorry, I know this must be _so hard _for you to comprehend." She said gesturing towards him.

"Fine by me, because you are too complicated for me anyways." Danny said sounding relieved.

"I'm sorry; I'm too complicated for you? What is that supposed to mean, Danny?"

"Exactly what it means…you complicate things. You complicate everything. Which is why you are always single."

"I see we are back to me scaring off guys again."

"Only saying it, because it's true."

"At least I put myself out there, Danny. When was your last relationship? Eye patch? That was months ago!"

"And you can put yourself out there as much as you want, Mindy. But you will never be able to hold a steady boyfriend, because you are too full on and scare guys. Your words, by the way not mine."

"You are such a jerk!"

"I may be a jerk, but at least I'm honest. I'm sure you have no problem finding guys, you are a very good looking girl, but you have a problem keeping them."

"At least I can pick up!" Mindy snapped. "Why am I even defending myself? You're the least experienced person I know in the love department! Does it hurt your feelings when you strike out all the time, because girls realise how pathetic you are?"

"I_ don't_ strike out." Danny said hotly. "I can pick up just as many people as you do."

"I find that hard to believe." Mindy said rolling her eyes.

"I'll prove it." Danny said quickly.

"Prove what? That I was right and that I can pick up and you can't?"

"What are you doing tonight?" Danny asked ignoring her.

"I have a date." She said lying quickly.

"Not anymore. You and I are going clubbing…I'm going to prove you wrong, Lahiri."

"I'd really love to prove _you_ wrong, Danny." Mindy said sweetly, "But I have a date tonight."

"Really?" Danny asked turning a little in his chair to face her. "Bull."

"Don't be jealous because I have plans for a Friday night and you don't."

"A date in front of the TV does not count as an actual date."

"I have a date with a man, Danny…I'm not staying at home in front of the tv tonight. I have a hot date with a new guy I met a couple of days ago."

"You can cut the crap, Mindy. I know you're lying…want to know how I know? Because whenever you meet a guy or organise a date, you_ parade_ around this office like a _fairy, _rubbing it in everyone's faces and you haven't done that this week. So since there is no guy; I think we should test out of the theory."

Mindy snorted loudly. "Like I want to spend any more time with you _outside _work hours!"

"Hey, you drive me crazy too, but I think we should do this. That way, we can put this behind us once and for all, so what do you say, Lahiri?"

"You are so childish! I am not cancelling my hot date to go clubbing with you!"

"I'll cancel him, if you give me his number." Danny said smirking. "If he's even real." He mumbled under his breath.

Mindy shot him a dirty look. She had no idea how to come back from this. _Why on earth did she lie about her date? _She knew that admitting to Danny that no date existed would make her look like a Grade A loser, so she figured the only way to improve the situation was to _stick _to the lie. She really did not want to be spending any more time with Danny Castellano tonight. She had literally had ENOUGH of him for one day.

"Guys, this isn't exactly the solution that we were hoping for." Jeremy said, snapping Mindy and Danny out of their argument and reminding them that they were not the only two people in the room.

"I'm going." Beverly said angrily. "I'm missing Days of our lives_." _

"Beverly, is actually the one that made the complaint about you two." Jeremy said when she had left the room.

"Our fighting can't be that bad?" Danny said shaking his head in disbelief. "Remember when Shauna had that psycho ex-boyfriend and he was always throwing things round in the office? That was a _hostile _working environment!"

"Dr L, Dr C…" Morgan said when nobody replied to Danny. "I agree with Beverly…you two have this _sexual attraction _towards each other-"

"What?" Mindy snapped cutting him off quickly.

"-It's kind of _magnetic_." Morgan continued. "Even Betsy and Dr Reed agree with us…I think the sooner you guys realise your true feelings for each other the better. Now I'm_ also_ going to go and watch Days of our lives with Beverly…she got me into it two weeks ago and I really like that show. Betsy are you coming? Today's episode is meant to be really good because they find out who is stalking Gabi Hernandez."

"Ooh, really? I definitely want to see that." she said following her friend out of the room.

"So are we going to do this or not?" Danny asked when they had left.

"Do what exactly?" Mindy snapped a little annoyed that she was still in the room with the most annoying person alive. She would rather be watching Days of our lives with the others.

"You said that I strike out and I think you scare guys; so I think we should make a bet, to see which of the two of us has more numbers at the end of the night. What do you say, Lahiri?"

"It's obviously going to be me." Mindy said hotly.

"Guys this is not what I meant by our little intervention." Jeremy said cutting in.

"Then it's a _bet."_ Danny said reaching out his hand to shake hers. "Tonight, whoever has more phone numbers at the end of the night is more experienced in the love department, as you call it."

"Fine by me, Castellamo." Mindy said shaking his hand. "You better bring yourself a box of tissues, because you will need them when I kick your ass tonight."

"So I'll pick you up at eight_." _Danny said standing up and walking towards the door.

"I'll be ready." Mindy said hotly, before storming out of the room before Danny could.

Jeremy had a bad feeling about this. Somehow he felt as if he had just made the situation ten times worse than before.

xoxo

"Have a good weekend, Dr Lahiri." Betsy said as she waved goodbye to her friend.

"Bye Betsey, bye Morgan." Mindy said as she put on her blue coat.

"Dr L," Morgan said walking up to her quickly. "I heard about the bet. Some advice for tonight… One, wear something really hot and short-guys love that. Two, lots of make-up…it does wonders. Three, be confident. Four, don't let Danny get under your skin. Five, if you have to _lie _for the sake of getting more numbers, do it."

"Woah, Morgan." Mindy said cutting him off. "I've literally never seen you so invested in my love life before."

"I always am. Plus, there may or _may not_ be an office bet on who is going to get more numbers and I am _backing you,_ so please make sure that it _is _you, because I've already put down a hundred dollar wager."

"What?" Mindy exclaimed.

"Well, Dr Reed, Beverly and Betsy all think that Dr C is going to win…but I backed you."

"Awww thanks Morgan! Don't worry, we will win."

"Morgan, are you coming?" Betsey called from the elevator.

"Yup. Gotta go Dr L. Break a leg tonight." He said as he headed towards the lifts. "I have faith in you."

"You're going down." Danny said as he threw a patient's file into the nurses' pigeon hole. "The odds are three against one in _my_ favour."

"I don't care if they are a hundred to _none_ because, I will beat you tonight and you will strike out. Now I'm going home to make myself all _hot and irresistible_. I'll see you at eight."

It had all started as a bet.

A silly bet to prove that he wasn't always right and that she was capable of beating him once in a while.

But as Mindy walked into the open elevator, she wasn't too sure that she could any more Tonight was really going to come down to the God's and she hoped that they would show mercy in her favour. It had been a while since she had been clubbing and she wasn't too excited to be going either. But somehow the thought of beating Danny Castellano and seeing his shocked expression on his face when she did, was enough to make her want to go through it.


	2. The Rules of the Bet

**Chapter Two: The Rules of the Bet.**

"Ugh, you're early!" Mindy groaned when she pulled open her apartment door to finding Danny standing in the doorway.

She was wearing nothing but a plush, fluffy pink robe and matching slippers and her hair was a total mess, half straightened, half curled because she couldn't decide how she was going to wear it.

"I had to make sure that you weren't going to back out." He said walking inside her apartment. "Cute robe."

Mindy pulled the robe tighter around her curvy body, feeling a little exposed and vulnerable as Danny looked her up and down.

_Was he…checking her out?_ She thought, biting down onto her bottom lip.

"Besides, isn't it a _thing _that women like when men don't keep them waiting and are on time?" Danny continued snapping her out of her thoughts.

"Yes, _on time, _not half an hour early. We said eight, Danny. Clearly, I'm not even ready yet."

"How long does it take you to get ready? You left work at five and I finished at six thirty! I am still ready and _here_ before you!"

"You have hardly anything to do to look good; I, on the other hand have a lot of things before I can go out."

"Are you saying that I always look good, Mindy?" Danny asked smugly.

"Gross. No." Mindy said quickly. "I mean, you're a guy. You just need a shower, a shave, some nice cologne and you're ready to go. I have to do my makeup, pick something hot to wear, find matching heels and a clutch purse, shave my legs, straighten my hair…see how much _more _goes into being a girl?"

"You got home at what, five-thirty right?" Danny asked looking at his watch on his arm.

"Yeah, why? What's your point?"

"That gives you two whole hours to do all those things! How are you _not _ready?"

"Can you just make yourself comfortable on my couch and watch some tv while I finish getting ready?" she said pushing him towards her living room. "Let's get this stupid bet over and done with, so I can come home and watch movies."

"I knew it." Danny said snapping his fingers together loudly, "There was _no _date tonight, was there Lahiri?"

"I'm going to straighten my hair." Mindy said ignoring his question and walking towards her bedroom door.

Danny smiled smugly to himself and switched on the tv.

xoox

"Jesus, Danny! You scared me!" Mindy said pulling her robe tighter around her body. "What do you want? I was trying to shave my legs!"

"Sorry," he said closing his eyes quickly. "I didn't see anything, I swear."

"What do you want, Castellano?" She said a little annoyed. "You can open your eyes now."

"It's almost eight. Are you going to be much longer? I thought we could have dinner before we go clubbing. I made a reservation at Locanda Verde at quarter past eight."

"Isn't that the restaurant where Robert DiNiro's chef Andrew Carmellini works?" Mindy asked a little surprised and excitedly.

"Yes."

"How did _you _know, Danny? You don't keep up with celebrities; you are not obsessed like me."

"I think I remember you telling Josh about it once when we were in the office."

"Danny! You remembered that? That's kind of sweet." Mindy said squeezing his shoulder a little. "I didn't know that you were sweet like that under your whole macho-manly exterior. You're like a crab, Danny Castellano…hard on the outside but so soft inside."

Danny wanted to tell her that he was not like a crab. Even though he knew that the representation was accurately correct. He of course had a reputation to uphold and he was not going to let Mindy ruin it for him, but he couldn't bring himself to fight with her. He wanted tonight to be perfect. It had been so hard for him to even make that reservation in the first place at such short notice, that he didn't want to have to cancel it in the event of them fighting again.

"Can you just be ready in the next ten minutes?" Danny said letting her comment slide and walking back towards the lounge room.

xoox

"Do you think Robert DiNiro eats here often?" Mindy asked as she skimmed the menu for a meal to eat.

They had just made it to the restaurant in time to still make their reservations despite being well over ten minutes late. Danny had gone out in the foyer of Mindy's apartment to call and ask them to hold their table a little longer. Originally the receptionist had said no, being one of the busiest nights of the week and seeing how they were inundated with customers dying to get a table. Danny promised to tip the guy a fifty if he would hold the table for them, much to his dislike and the rest was history.

"I don't know. I'm guessing he would." Danny said before taking a sip of his wine.

"I wonder if he is here tonight." She said whimsically, making him chuckle.

"Are you ready to order? I'm starving." He said impatiently.

"Hey, don't rush me; I'm still trying to decide! Everything looks fantastic." She said following a plate that a waiter was carrying to another table with her eyes.

"Well can you decide faster? I've run out of bread on the table to eat."

Xoox

"Danny, you have to try this tiramisu!" Mindy said scooping some onto her spoon and trying to pass it to him.

"I'm right with my gelato." He said, shaking his head in disagreement.

"Can you _be _anymore Italian?" she said rolling her eyes. "I get it, you like gelato, but shouldn't you try something else on the menu when you go out?"

"I like gelato. What's wrong with that?" he said before putting another spoonful in his mouth.

Mindy sighed and continued attacking her desert. Everything about the restaurant had lived up to her highest expectations. The entrees and mains were immaculately crafted and designed like a work of art, not to mention the taste was nothing she had tried before in her life. Her main meal was an explosion of exotic flavours that left her feeling completely satisfied and yet still wanting more at the end of it. But the desert had been the highlight of her night. There was nothing like rich, creamy tiramisu to make her mouth water and top of a perfect restaurant experience. She made a small mental note to leave positive reviews when she got back home and in front of her computer.

"So have you decided which club we are going to?" Danny asked, snapping her back to the present moment.

"I dunno dude. I thought you were going to pick one."

Danny pulled out his phone and started to read a list of names.

"Marquee. Southside. Oak. Beatrice Inn."

"Danny, did you just google New City clubs?" Mindy whispered.

"Yeah, why? I have no idea which ones are good. I haven't been clubbing since we took Betsy and Morgan."

"Danny, that was like over a year ago!"

"I know. So where do you want to go?"

"Oak…its Lindsay Lohan's favourite club."

"Trust you to know where all the celebrities will be."

Xoox

"Danny, will you please just take it?" Mindy growled angrily, trying to pass him a hundred dollar bill.

"I told you, I got this." He said pushing her hand away and refusing to take her money.

"Why aren't you letting me pay?"

"Can you just _stop, _please? You are making a scene and this is a really fancy place. I intend on coming back here again sometime in the future." He said nodding his head a little to the left, to tell her that the people on the table next to them were observing their fight and listening to every word that they said.

"Danny, you shouldn't have to pay for me."

"Mindy, I honestly don't mind. Will you get over it, already?" he said signalling a passing waiter to take the bill.

Mindy couldn't understand why he wouldn't let her pay. This was definitely not like the Danny Castellano that she knew at all. Not the same Danny that earlier today had eaten her yoghurt, just to annoy and get a reaction out of her! There was only one reason that she could think of as to why he would want to pay for her…

"Danny…is this a _date?" _she whispered quietly, so the nosy people on the table next to her wouldn't hear.

"What?" he asked, playing with his tie a little.

He was starting to feel extremely hot and choked all of a sudden. He was sure that he would start his nervous sweating routine at any second if Mindy didn't drop the subject.

"It's a date, isn't it?" she said pressuring the situation further. "That's why you paid."

"Why? Do you want it to be one?" he asked hoping to get an idea of how she felt on the matter, by turning the question on her, rather than having to answer it himself.

"Danny, I-" she said, not sure how to find the right words to finish her sentence.

"Look Mindy, I was a jerk to you earlier today. Take it as a way of me saying that 'I'm sorry' okay?" he said feeling a little bit disappointed.

"Well if this is how you say sorry, remind me to fight with you more often."

"Are you ready to go?" he asked, standing up.

"Yeah, I just need to find my clutch. It's under here somewhere." She said sticking her head further under the table.

Mindy found herself a little startled when she lifted her head up from under the table and found Danny standing behind her, pulling out her chair like a gentleman. She thought to make a remark on this, but she was too confused by the meaning behind it to even question him on it. He was acting extremely weird tonight and she wanted to get to the bottom of it, but somehow she was too scared to voice her concerns for fears of learning something she didn't want to hear.

As they left the restaurant and Danny helped her with her coat, Mindy found herself wondering if this had in fact been some kind of date.

xoox

"Okay, so we need some kind of ground rules." Mindy said as they waited in line outside Club Oak, in the freezing cold night.

"Fine." Danny said rubbing his hands together, warm them up.

"So the bet is still the same. Whoever gets more numbers is more experienced when it comes to picking up the opposite sex."

Danny nodded in agreement.

"The winner gets the satisfaction of being correct and the loser is humiliated at work." She continued. "Care to raise the stakes and make this more of a challenge?"

"I'm game." He said quickly.

"The loser has to do whatever the other persons say for a week."

"Make it two."

"Fine by me." Mindy said snapping hotly.

"Fine."

"So since I intend to win, I'm just letting you know from now that I will do _everything _possible to beat you." she said after a moment's pause.

"So, does that mean we can lie to the people we meet?" he asked.

"Yes, we can lie for the sake of getting numbers. But what I mean is that I will do my best to sabotage your efforts."

"Then be prepared to have the same done to you."

"Fine. So rule number one, we are allowed to sabotage each other when we are trying to pick up."

"Okay. Rule number two, we can't tell the people that we are involved in a bet to help us out, or bribe them into giving us their numbers." Danny said.

"Danny, are you implying that I was going to cheat?"

"No, but it should still be a rule."

"Fine, no cheating or bribing. Rule number three, the bet is over when the club closes, unless both of us agree to call it a night at any time."

"Sounds fair."

"I think that's about it." she said. "Can you think of anything else?"

"No." he said as they moved up further in the line.

"You're going down tonight, Castellano." Mindy said.

"We will see about that Lahiri."

xoox

**Author's note:**

Hey guys it's been a while! If anyone is still reading this, please leave me a review! Should be updating this again sometime tomorrow. I will also be updating my other Mindy x Danny story (The Black-Slide) sometime tomorrow for anyone that is reading that too.

Paris xx


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